A recent survey by Gitnux*, an educational resource provider, noted that 72% of all employees stated that work-life balance was important to them. Workers clearly care about finding the right mix of work and the rest of their lives. Getting that combination just right is good for a worker's physical and mental health. Today, we will also look at the reasons why warehouse managers should place a high premium on helping their employees find the right work-life balance.
The Benefits of Work-Life Balance for Employers and Employees
There are concrete benefits of work-life balance for both employees and employers. Among the upsides that one might obtain from establishing the proper work-life balance include the following:
- Improved Productivity - The productivity increases that one can see when work-life balance is properly established is astounding. People who have the flexibility to do their work and also have some time to enjoy some free time will be more focused and productive when they are actually on the job.
- Reduced Absenteeism - People who have great work-life balance won't need to take off as much time from work. They will have the ability to give their mind and body a rest from time to time, and that will make them less prone to request extra time off.
- Mental Health Improvements - Those who are provided with the proper amount of time to take off of work to enjoy their hobbies, be with family, and experience other aspects of their life outside of their work will see improvements to their mental health.
These are all upsides to working with employees to help them find the work-life balance that they desire. Yes, the employees desire work-life balance, but it is also to the benefit of their employers as well. Employers want employees who are on the ball when it comes to the work that they do. They want people who are fully dedicated to their work and who are in the best position to complete the work assigned to them. Employees who have a solid work-life balance are the most likely to meet all of those qualifications.
The Challenges of Warehouse Management
Let no one ever say that managing a warehouse is easy. It certainly is not. There are a number of challenges that a warehouse manager is likely to face on a daily basis. Not only that, but there are difficulties associated with helping maintain work-life balance for all employees. Hopstack, a warehouse management software provider, underscores this:
Warehouses are an intricate ecosystem with several different processes working in tandem to serve customers effectively. Warehouse management challenges act as a major roadblock in the efficiency and productivity of the warehouses and can cause serious damage to the complete warehouse workflow.
The long hours, the tight deadlines, and the fluctuating seasonal flow of work make warehouses a challenging place to establish an effective work-life balance for employees. All warehouse managers should try to work with their employees to find the work-life balance that works best for them. Finding that right balance can help create a work environment where all employees are granted the chance to get the work-life balance that they seek.
Strategies for Balancing Workloads
Warehouse managers are asked to take on a significant amount of work and responsibility in the course of their day. Among the responsibilities put squarely on the shoulders of warehouse managers is the work of assisting their employees in finding the right work-life balance to achieve their goals. Here are a few of the strategies that have worked successfully for employers in the past:
- Remind Employees to Unplug - These days, anyone can be reached via electronic device virtually any time of the day or night. However, it is not necessarily healthy to have that level of contact at all times. In fact, unplugging from those devices can be helpful for the employee to obtain a better work-life balance. Managers should encourage employees to put away the devices and go enjoy their life outside of work.
- Educate Employees About Their Benefits - Many warehouse jobs include a number of benefits for the employees who work there. However, employees are not always aware of the benefits that are afforded to them. It is important that warehouse managers do their best to inform employees about all of the benefits that are available to them. Using those benefits (such as PTO) is a great way to work on finding a greater work-life balance.
- Respect Working Hours - When an employee clocks out they ought to be able to leave their work concerns at the door. They can only do this if their supervisors are respectful of work hours. Warehouse managers should be respectful of work hours to ensure they are not overworking employees or interupting their personal lives.
These are just a few of the things that warehouse managers can do to keep work-life balance high up on the list of priorities when running their warehouse.
Implementing Work-Life Balance Strategies in the Warehouse
It is essential to create the kind of environment where employees feel supported in their decision to take time for themselves. They should have confidence that they will be supported by their employer if they determine that they need to take some additional time off for themselves. It is also a good idea to model the kind of work-life balance behaviors that you would like your employees to exhibit, such as unplugging yourself when you take a vacation or sick day.
When you lead by example, you are showing yourself to be the kind of leader that can be trusted. On top of that, you will open the door for employees to follow your example and take time for themselves when they need it.
Eclipse IA Can Help You Take Stress Off of Your Employees' Shoulders
When you partner with Eclipse IA, you can rest assured that you will receive the support that you require to help take some of the pressure off of the shoulders of your workforce. We provide workforce solutions for companies that operate within the supply chain. By using a team-based cost-per-unit model, we make it possible for you to help your employees find the time they need to achieve work-life balance. Plus, you get exactly the amount of extra help you need right when your warehouse needs it.
Our team-based productivity pay model allows employees to go home early if they accomplish all of their work ahead of time. They will still be compensated the same amount as if it had taken them longer to finish the work without any extra costs to you. Thus, they don't lose out on any pay, but they are able to reclaim some of their non-working hours and enjoy time outside of work. Best of all, the employee is not penalized in the form of lost pay when they do this. The more efficient they are, the more of their personal time they can reclaim.
If you are curious about how our team-based pay model can benefit you and your distribution center, please contact us about how we can help. We can help you bring about the work-life balance solutions that your workforce needs.
